Author Topic: SWINE FLU!!! (Read 28836 times)

DaClock · « **on:** April 29, 2009, 10:59:39 AM »

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30471035/?GT1=43001

I guess we're all going to die so we probably shouldn't go outside or talk to anybody... ever.

TimMierz · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:03:35 AM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_qJ2tOY7ss#

sk · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:05:14 AM »

If they don't even know how old the kid is, how do they expect to know what killed 'em?

On a side note, California is now in a state of emergency due to Swine Flu.

TimMierz · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:06:08 AM »

Quote from: sk on April 29, 2009, 11:05:14 AM

On a side note, California is now in a state of emergency due to Swine Flu.

I thought California was a state of emergency.

sk · « **Reply #4 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:12:10 AM »

Heh, an email just arrived from my school in the last couple of minutes...

Quote from: CSULB President

Campus Community,

Late Tuesday evening we were informed by the Long Beach Health Department that [a CSULB student living on campus] received a “probable positive” test result for swine flu. Final determination of the test results will not be available for another two days...

Should be an interesting day...

Colin Michael · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:23:45 AM »

Quote from: STAMP on April 29, 2009, 11:04:49 AM

Quote from: DaClock on April 29, 2009, 10:59:39 AM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30471035/?GT1=43001

I guess we're all going to die so we probably shouldn't go outside or talk to anybody... ever.

Thank goodness Al Gore invented the internet!

You're forgetting his other great invention.

The Spy · « **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:35:10 AM »

Unlike the majority of posts that I am reading, I am actually very concerned about the Swine Flu. Despite its humorous title, this flu contains just the right features to cause a pandemic. It is very contagious, and is fully capable of killing large numbers of people. Every time I hear about this sort of thing, climbing the alert levels as it spins out of control, I become very cautious.

On a positive note, I am also thankful that I do not live in the city.

The Schaef · « **Reply #7 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:44:07 AM »

It can be a pandemic, yes, but I'm not convinced it will be serious/fatal in most places. The only death reported in the US so far was a kid who came up FROM MEXICO for treatment.

It's serious like The SARS (tm) was serious, but I also expect that it will come and go with very little impact like The SARS (tm).

DaClock · « **Reply #8 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:59:35 AM »

I think Swine Flu is just something that's been invented by the government/media to gauge how much control they have over the public.

In all seriousness, how is this different from any other virus? They show up, do some damage, but eventually our bodies adapt and build up immunities to them and we move on. Why is Swine Flu different?

Cameron the Conqueror · « **Reply #9 on:** April 29, 2009, 12:04:20 PM »

1. because it is not prevented by flu shots
2. We don't have a cure/prevent for it. It will take 2 months for the 1st beta drug to be ready.

The Schaef · « **Reply #10 on:** April 29, 2009, 12:06:20 PM »

I think the big surprise here is that the current strain has shown to be communicable between humans, whereas before you could only get it from the swine itself. That and it's killed a hundred people in Mexico already, although doctors are noting with interest that for whatever reason, people here in the States just aren't dying from it at this point. The symptoms are still treatable with Tamiflu, though, so

:edit: had to post this:

The Spy · « **Reply #11 on:** April 29, 2009, 12:39:07 PM »

Quote from: The Schaef on April 29, 2009, 11:44:07 AM

It can be a pandemic, yes, but I'm not convinced it will be serious/fatal in most places. The only death reported in the US so far was a kid who came up FROM MEXICO for treatment.

It's serious like The SARS (tm) was serious, but I also expect that it will come and go with very little impact like The SARS (tm).

You can never say that about the flu and not feel a modicum of worry. Just look back at 1918-1919, where the flu killed millions around the world. Even if there is only one death recorded in America, look at the death toll it has had in Mexico. With such weak border control, it would not take much for the Swine Flu to run loose on Americans. What is scary about the Swine Flu is that, unlike the common Flu which kills victims with weak immune systems, this form seems to target and kill victims with stronger immune systems.

Quote from: DaClock on April 29, 2009, 11:59:35 AM

In all seriousness, how is this different from any other virus? They show up, do some damage, but eventually our bodies adapt and build up immunities to them and we move on. Why is Swine Flu different?

I would not be so quick to assume that our bodies build up immunities to these things. Sometimes it takes millions of deaths to wait out a virus or disease. The scary thing is, humans are less likely to build up immunities to viruses which cross the species barrier and to viruses which are prone to mutate. The Swine Flu, like the Bird Flu, is one of these viruses. For moreof an explaination, see my above statement.

Quote from: Cameron the Conqueror on April 29, 2009, 12:04:20 PM

2. We don't have a cure/prevent for it. It will take 2 months for the 1st beta drug to be ready.

Actually, it will take aprx. 6 months to generate a vaccine.

Quote from: The Schaef on April 29, 2009, 12:06:20 PM

I think the big surprise here is that the current strain has shown to be communicable between humans, whereas before you could only get it from the swine itself. That and it's killed a hundred people in Mexico already, although doctors are noting with interest that for whatever reason, people here in the States just aren't dying from it at this point. The symptoms are still treatable with Tamiflu, though, so

All it takes is a mutation/immunity to the treatment to render this Tamiflu useless.

The Schaef · « **Reply #12 on:** April 29, 2009, 12:50:59 PM »

I'll worry about that stuff when it happens. Medical knowledge and technology has advanced slightly in the last hundred years.

Cameron the Conqueror · « **Reply #13 on:** April 29, 2009, 01:35:01 PM »

yep, advanced....... http://www.radionetherlands.nl/currentaffairs/090429-flu-vaccine-mc

The Spy · « **Reply #14 on:** April 29, 2009, 10:49:15 PM »

Quote from: The Schaef on April 29, 2009, 12:50:59 PM

I'll worry about that stuff when it happens. Medical knowledge and technology has advanced slightly in the last hundred years.

So has transportation and commerce.

I am not saying this is the end of the world, don't get me wrong but I will remain wary until this thing is quarantined and controlled. (I will admit that it does perplex me that so few cases of this have emerged here in the US.)

Prof Underwood · « **Reply #15 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:23:22 PM »

Just to save you from worrying too much

There was a similar scare about the Swine Flu back in 1976. People then also pointed back to the problems from 1918. But it turned out to be nothing, and hundreds of people died from the Swine Flu cure compared to only 1 person actually dying from the Swine Flu itself.

Details can be found here.

Alex_Olijar · « **Reply #16 on:** April 29, 2009, 11:27:58 PM »

Always remember: We live in America/Canada. AKA best medical/sanitation in the world, etc.

The Spy · « **Reply #17 on:** April 30, 2009, 12:20:27 PM »

Quote from: Prof Underwood on April 29, 2009, 11:23:22 PM

Just to save you from worrying too much

There was a similar scare about the Swine Flu back in 1976. People then also pointed back to the problems from 1918. But it turned out to be nothing, and hundreds of people died from the Swine Flu cure compared to only 1 person actually dying from the Swine Flu itself.

Details can be found here.

That is an interesting find... still, we should not overlook the fact that the alert level for the Swine Flu has risen to 5 (the second highest), as the number of victims increases beyond the 90 mark during this current Swine Flu "scare." (With its first death, it seems to be somewhat harmless. However, only yesterday, my city recieved its first victim and that is a bit unsettling, even if the death toll is so low in America.)

Colin Michael · « **Reply #18 on:** April 30, 2009, 01:20:10 PM »

It's the fault of PETA. We could take care of this thing easily enough otherwise.

Prof Underwood · « **Reply #19 on:** April 30, 2009, 01:32:35 PM »

This is just another case of the media hyping some tiny risk factor to scare people enough to sell papers / advertising and get attention.

It happened with school shootings.
It happened with shark attacks.
It happened with child abductions.
Now it is happening with Swine Flu.

All of these things put together probably kill less people a year than are killed by bathtub accidents. But the media plays it up and everyone thinks that they are in great danger.

EmJayBee83 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:40:16 PM »

Quote from: Prof Underwood on April 30, 2009, 01:32:35 PM

This is just another case of the media hyping some tiny risk factor to scare people enough to sell papers / advertising and get attention.

Not that I disagree with the Prof about the media's tendency to sensationalize to push product, but...

The reason behind all the effort in the public health community is because this is a new virus. As a new virus, no one has any resistance to the swine flu. The last great flu pandemic--the Hong Kong flu--occurred in 1968 and killed around 35,000 Americans.

Just for comparison, 341 Americans died from drowning in bath tub accidents in the US in the year 2000.

DaClock · « **Reply #21 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:48:33 PM »

I've heard some cool things about Swine Flu in the past couple days.

"Swine Flu was created by Al-Qaeda and is the beginning of biological warfare."
"Barack Obama is the Anti-Christ and Swine Flu is the beginning of the plagues."
"The media isn't sensationalizing anything about Swine Flu."

TimMierz · « **Reply #22 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:53:41 PM »

Those are all true, right?

Colin Michael · « **Reply #23 on:** April 30, 2009, 02:55:17 PM »

Look on the bright side, this will open up more jobs.

Rrulez · « **Reply #24 on:** April 30, 2009, 03:21:41 PM »

Quote from: Colin Michael on April 30, 2009, 02:55:17 PM

Look on the bright side, this will open up more jobs.

You're sick Colin. Sick, Sick, Sick.

News:

Author Topic: SWINE FLU!!! (Read 28836 times)

The Schaef

The Schaef

The Schaef

Rrulez